Hollywood:Starting out as an MV director

That night, Tony, having had too much to drink, was driving home. He lived on the outskirts of the Bronx, near the seashore, in a quiet neighborhood.

After avoiding roads that were prone to police checks, he finally made it safely near his house. He turned off the car, removed the keys, and got out, muttering to himself, "Creative my foot! For an MV, simplicity and efficiency are key. Don't you agree?"

Even though no one was around, Tony kept mumbling to the air as if someone were listening. Clearly, he was drunk.

Just as he stepped away from his car, a few young Black men happened to pass by. Hearing his mumbling, they sneered, "Look at this! A drunk white guy, not arrested by the cops? Should I call 911 for you?"

"F**k off, you Black kids!" Tony waved dismissively. He wondered how there were Black people in what was supposed to be a white neighborhood.

Damn it. Next time, he would make sure the security guard paid more attention and kept these "Black monkeys" out.

Just as he thought this, he noticed the expressions of the young men darken.

"What did he just say?"

"He said 'Black monkey!'"

"Yeah, I heard it too. He's discriminating against us!"

"No, I said 'Black kids!'" Tony, though drunk, knew those two terms were vastly different and quickly tried to correct himself.

But the leader of the group was furious. "Listen to him! He's discriminating against us!"

"F**k! Let's teach him a lesson, guys!"

"Wait! I didn't say 'Black monkey'!" Tony, now terrified, tried to run, but as he turned, he tripped over the curb and fell to the ground.

"He said it again! F**k! You racist piece of trash!"

"Beat up the racist!"

"Stupid white pig!"

The three young men quickly caught up to him, raining down punches as Tony screamed for help. He tried to fight back, but someone stomped on his knee with a sickening crack, causing him to wail in agony.

"We went too far!"

"Let's go! Quick!" One of them pulled the leader away.

"Serves him right!" Another spat on Tony before they hurried into a black car and drove away.

Tony lay on the ground, clutching his leg and moaning in pain.

A male neighbor, hearing the commotion, rushed out with a gun, but by the time he arrived, the street was empty except for Tony, who was crying out in pain.

"Tony, hang on. I'll call an ambulance!" The neighbor, showing concern, took out his phone, but Tony grabbed his arm, pleading, "No, please, don't call an ambulance!"

"But you—"

"Please, just drive me to the hospital."

The next day, Ethan received a call from Mike.

"Well, I'm not sure whether this is good news or bad news, Ethan," Mike said, sounding thoughtful. "Tony got beaten up last night. He apparently got into an argument with some Black guys and ended up with a broken leg."

"A broken leg? What about the MV?" Ethan asked.

"Well, Tony definitely can't direct it anymore. The only option now is for Jose to take over."

"Is Jose capable? I mean, does he have the skills?"

"He's decent. He's directed MVs before, so he's not new to this. But it seems a lot more will fall on you, Ethan."

"Me?" Ethan acted surprised. "I'm just the cinematographer."

"Come on, Ethan, we both know you're much more than just a cinematographer. Don't worry, I'll make sure you get extra pay. How about splitting Tony's share between you and Jose? He's not going to need it anymore."

"Well, if that's the case, I'll take on the responsibility." Though Ethan smiled, his tone carried a hint of reluctance.

After Mike wrapped up the conversation, he suddenly asked, "Ethan, Tony ending up in the hospital... you wouldn't happen to have had anything to do with that, would you? Well, never mind. It's probably just a coincidence."

"What are you implying, Mike?" Ethan frowned. "Just because I've filmed MVs for Black artists, you think I can command them to beat someone up for me?"

"No, no, that's not what I meant. It's just... the timing seems a little coincidental. He did have that argument with you..."

"You were at the meeting too. You know as well as I do that with the way Tony behaves, it's more surprising he hasn't been beaten up sooner."

"Good point. Alright, Ethan, the MV's in your hands now."

"Don't worry... I'll make sure it's shot well."

Hanging up the phone, Ethan smiled to himself and muttered, "Mike's pretty sharp, but without evidence, what can he do?"

Finally, with that thorn in his side removed, Ethan could fully execute his vision. When he filmed the MV for Raymond, the budget had been too tight, and he had to settle for some indoor scenes, which left him feeling unsatisfied.

But this time, he planned to go all out.

Setting down the storyboard he had already prepared, Ethan received another call, this time from Jose.

Over the phone, Jose confirmed that he would be assisting with the MV. He assured Ethan that whatever ideas or direction he had, Jose would be there to support him.

It seemed that Jose had already talked things over with Mike and was smart enough to let Ethan take the lead.

"That's even better, saves me the trouble," Ethan thought to himself.

Three days later, on the set of Kelly Rowland's MV, Ethan, now serving as both the cinematographer and assistant director, met with Nelly and Kelly Rowland.

Kelly sported her signature short red hair. Her skin was a warm, healthy tone, not too dark, and her vibrant energy made her look fresh and lively.

Nelly, on the other hand, wore a baggy white T-shirt, a backward baseball cap, and a long silver chain that almost reached his waist.

The two were chatting and laughing, followed by their managers and close friends, who would be making cameo appearances in the MV. Even Kelly's real mother was there for a brief scene.

This was a way to save on the budget since there weren't many shots involving them anyway.

Once they arrived on set, they went straight to the makeup trailer, while Jose and Ethan brought the new storyboard to discuss with them.

"Hey!" Jose greeted them first, handing over the storyboard. "This is the revised storyboard for the MV. It's got a lot more creative elements now. Take a look."

Kelly smiled as she took it. "Let me see. Oh, it looks like there are a lot more scenes added."

"Exactly."

Nelly didn't bother looking. Instead, he confidently said, "I don't need to see it. Just tell me what I need to do."

"Alright, Ethan will explain it to you. He's the assistant director and cinematographer, and these are all his ideas," Jose said, pushing Ethan forward. Ethan smiled and began, "I know MVs might seem simple. Nelly, how long did it take to shoot your last MV?"

Nelly thought for a moment and then tilted his head. "Seven hours, I think. Why?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "This one will take three times that."

"What?" Nelly furrowed his brow. "Why would it take that long? I've got other commitments."

Kelly, intrigued, asked, "Is there something really difficult to film?"

"Of course!" Seeing their interest piqued, Ethan confidently explained, "This isn't just any MV. I don't shoot simple MVs. Here's a scene..."

"Nelly, you and Kelly, standing on a dark, empty street, lit only by streetlights, with burning cars behind you. The flames and desolation are a reflection of your inner turmoil—passionate but lonely souls comforting each other."

This was actually a scene from a Beyoncé MV with Jay-Z. When that MV was released, it captivated countless fans.

After describing the scene, Ethan asked, "How does that sound? Pretty cool, right?"

"That sounds amazing!" Kelly's eyes lit up as she turned to Nelly. "That totally fits our song!"

Nelly nodded, bobbing his head in agreement. "Yeah, burning cars—wow, that already sounds badass."

"And the whole song will follow this style. We're not just shooting a simple introduction or duet. We're going to capture the real emotion in the song, so that fans will keep watching it over and over. And when the music stores play your MV on repeat, don't you think that'll help sales?"

"Of course! I'm already excited just hearing about it!" Kelly exclaimed, extending her hand.

Nelly agreed, nodding his head. "Let's shoot it that way, man!"

...

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